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The number of women suffering from violence is quite large, especially among minorities. It is minority women who have the highest numbers of domestic, sexual, and other types of violence. The large numbers are due to the fact that minority women are less capable to complain and less protected by the law. In many countries the sexual violence against them is used as a tool for war. They are used and oppressed and there is nothing they can do because there is no justice. Minority and indigenous women in the US are also abused, and even when they have a justice system, they are not protected. They are usually discriminated because of their status, gender, and ethnicity. If it was a white women being violated, the officials would not stop until they find justice. There are many cases, like the student, black girl, that was attacked by a police officer. Even if she was refusing to leave, the officer had no right to use violence against her. Usually violence against minorities is overlooked. In the case of black women, being abused is not something new. Since slavery they have been subjected to many kinds of violence, which are all now exposed in social media. Violence against black women has become normalize. This is due because they have a low status, their race, class, and gender gives them little worth. They are not able to speak up, or they would be criticize and reduced to stereotypes. Basically, all minority women all suffer from some type of violence. Their status, gender, and ethnicity are impediments for them to seek justice towards violence. They are trapped by violence, and their only escape Is blocked by who they are in the public eyes.

The number of minority women suffering from racism, sexism, and classism is quite large. With the society changing and developing, many think that these views would have changed, they are wrong. These women endured hardships in their everyday lives, from their jobs, to public spaces, and even in their homes. The public classifies these women based on their sex, the color of their skin, and their social background. Minority women are excluded because they do not represent the traits and capacities of the standard race. They are also still haunted by stereotypes portrayed in the media. In her article, Misogynoir: where racism and sexism meet, Eliza Anyangwe discusses how misogynoir has become the new term for prejudice and hatred towards black women. She explains how it plays its role by using Serena Williams as an example. The public compares her with an angry gorilla and how she resembles a manly man. They conclude that based on stereotypical behavior of black women and the way they look. They cannot accept that a black women could actually be in such important position. Minority women face classism, as Emilie M. Towne describe it, the economic oppression of black women and the low social status associated with it. Minority women are overly represented on low wages jobs, because many times they are not able to finish higher education, or are less likely to be consider for corporate jobs. Men do not take them seriously even when they have high positions. This is the case of Coco Medina, the owner of a Spanish-speaking radio. She states that men do not treat her as a business women, but as a “good girl” instead. These women are also criticize when they try to change the “status quo.” They try to overcome stereotypes and instead of encountering support, they find prejudice. This is the case of Diane Abbot, she was recently appointment as shadow international development secretary. Minority women cannot aim for higher because they will be criticize, and prejudice for their skin color and stereotypes about them.

Feminism is the movement that advocates women’s rights and equality. Its purpose is to create a place where women would have the same rights and opportunities as men. But since its creation, feminism has been only fighting for the rights of white women. Looking back at the first wave of feminism, it all started with white women fighting for suffrage rights. In no way that would benefit minority women, in this case African American women. Black men were barely allowed to vote, and their votes did not event count as one, how exactly were black women benefited from the first wave? Today’s feminism seems to be going in the same direction, looking for ways to benefit and protect white women needs and rights. It only lets others hear the voices of mainstream women. Minority women problems are still there, because they are different from those of white women they are not taken with much importance. Women of color are more likely to be discriminated in the workplace or public spaces. They are also target because of stereotypes, people usually judges them based on them. They are more prone to be accused for actions they have not committed, and the list can keep going. Feminism, or basically white feminism, does not take their difficulties into account because it does not affect mainstream women. In her article, Erica Lopez describes how she had difficulties, discrimination and judgement from superiors, for being a minority and how white women dismiss her troubles. She compares the reactions of these women to feminism, and how like those women feminism dismisses and ignores minority’s problems. How can feminism be a movement for all women if it only favors one group of them? White women are the ones in power and putting their issues before anyone else’s. The white privilege also comes into effect here.

White women privilege is basically having more benefits and opportunities purely because of the color of their skin. It also allows them to get away with things minorities usually can’t. White women either choose to believe white privilege doesn’t exists, or that it only exists in the eyes of minorities. The reason being that all their lives they have been favor, given what they wanted without thinking of others. They see it as common, but from a minority’s perspective, the privilege is and will always be there for them. Their privilege is demonstrate in their daily lives. We see white women being taken with more consideration when applying for jobs, during accidents, and in their health. Managers are more likely to hire white women, because they are thought to have better backgrounds. In an article form Political Blind Spot, a black men was hit by a car driven by a white woman. As the man was in the floor crying because he was in pain, the bystanders and the police were only comforting the woman, telling her everything will all right. The police even went to the extent of telling her to change her testimony and blame the incident on the black man. If a black or Hispanic woman would have been behind that wheel, the police officers would not have been so lenient. White women have more help from health care, and prioritize by doctors. They are considered more beautiful, they represent the standard of beauty. Their privilege leaves minority women in an underprivileged position. Because of that, they are always put second, they are taken less in to consideration, and are more likely to be blame in any situation. Even when they don’t see it, minorities do. They know that it will be difficult for them to attain higher opportunities.

Nowadays beauty is socially constructed through different types of media. They bombard the public with advertisements, movies, shows and more, full of white beauty ideals. Women like Angelina Jolie, Reese Witherspoon, and Jennifer Aniston are usually used to promoted products and movies. That is because they are consider beautiful, according to the standards created by the media. Minority women on the other hand, are rarely seen in advertisement, because they lack the delicate features and light colored skin. White women are portrayed as delicate, pretty, and thin, and society expect every women to follow these standards. Because of them, minority women are “whitewashed.” They change their hairstyle, hair color, and wear lighter makeup to conform to the beauty ideals. When minority women are hire for advertisements, they are always photoshop to comply with these ideals. In the case of Sofia Vergara, her arms were slimmed down for a Pepsi ad. For Zendaya, her hips were reduced so she would look slimmer and prettier. Through their actions, the media is basically portraying unrealistic ideals. Women of color body structure are different form white women. Minority women are unable to express and be themselves. When they try to be different, they are criticize. Zendaya was insulted and criticize for her dreadlocks at the Oscar’s ceremony. She was only being herself instead of just complying with standards of beauty, how is that wrong? To me, she looked stunning and beautiful. According to beauty ideals, minority women are lacking in beauty compared to white women. They take extrema measure to change themselves. They lighter their skin, change their hair color, wear contacts, and more. If they try to go against beauty standards, they are only criticize and condemn for being different.

The number of minority women entering different workplaces has increased in the recent years. These women work full time and they still earned the least. This is in part because they are paid fractions of what white men earned, creating a wage gap. These gap, especially for minority women, has increased in recent years. As stated in the article written by Justice Economics, “Black women were paid 63 percent of what non-Hispanic white men were paid in 2014. That means it takes the typical black woman nearly seven extra months to be paid what the average white man took home back on December 3.” Women have to work for longer periods of time to earn the same as men in the same field. This is in large part to the fact that women of color are mostly represented on the lower paying jobs. Usually working on minimum wage or part time. These women make .64 cents of a dollar compared to men. Even when this women pursue and acquire a higher education, the gap is still there. Is in this cases that the gap usually increases. In an article from 2013, the author mentions that previous research has demonstrated that the gap often starts right out of college — as women are less likely than men to be fully employed one year post grad. The fact that employers believe that men are more capable, prompts them to offer them better salaries and benefits. In her article, Mila Fisher, disclose that: In 2014, only 35 percent of black women and 26 percent of Hispanic women were employed in higher-paying management, professional, and related jobs—compared with 48 percent of Asian women and 43 percent of white women. This proves that employers are more biased to hired white men and women than minorities. Like, when comparing the earnings between actresses and actors, the wage gap can be easily notice. Hollywood actors like Robert Downey Jr. make up to four times, or more, of what white actresses make. Image how far below Black or Hispanic actresses are. It’s usually so low that they are never mention on list of the best pay actors, it is always a white actresses list. Minority women earned only fractions compared to white men or women. They are performing the same jobs, but are still discriminated and viewed as less valuable than men.

The number of women applying to jobs has increase, as well as the difficulty to be hired for them. Women, in general, are less likely than men to be chosen for a job. Imagine how much more difficult would be for minority women to apply and be hired. They face more discrimination in the application process, just because of their ethnic background. Their names can sometimes be the main cause. Employers are prone to hired white people, that’s why they give interviews to people with white-sounding names. Traditional names can become an obstacle for applicants. In her article, Kianta Key expressed how she felt as her coworkers asked her about her name: “I often find myself questioning my name and the stereotypes that go along with it, particularly in my career. Because, depending on the people who see my name, they see a black woman. And depending on their perspective, they see a certain type of black woman, with a certain type of education….” Many women asked themselves the same questions. Leading them to changed letters of their name, or replace them with “whiter” names, for a higher chance to an interview. In those situations, employers do give more attention and consideration. Even if they get the interview, they are still less likely to get the job because of the color of their skin. Like in the case of Louise James, a black applicant. As soon as her name was called, the interviewer expected a white woman. “She just kind of looked at me and her face dropped…” she stated. It’s just a long and discriminative process for minority women to be able to get interviewed and hired.
Louise James Kianta Key

Black women are more prone to get infected with viruses like HIV, diseases like cancer, or diagnose with high blood pressure and diabetes. But, a large number of black women in the US are unable to access decent health care services. Many factors contribute this issue, and are creating a greater gap between good health care and minority women. Their socioeconomic background is an important factors. Minority women work on minimum wages most if the time, others are living in poverty or are unemployed. Numerous times their jobs do not offer any health coverage. Also, a large number of this women are raising children without a partner, they are the heads of their families. How can they afford any health insurance, if they barely make enough to survive? The majority of people caught in the coverage gap are employed. In her article, Teresa Wiltz stated “They’re the working poor, paying the bills with a part-time gig or punching the clock with an employer who doesn’t offer insurance. They may be juggling multiple jobs to make ends meet…” (pewtrusts.org). This leads many of these women to relied on government health insurances, like Medicaid, but sometimes the coverage of these health care’s isn’t enough for all of them. From a survey in 2001, only 17 percent of black women and 12 percent of Latinas, out of 4000 women, were covered by Medicaid (dopm.uab.edu). Over the years, Medicaid priorities have changed and now they prioritized on covering children, pregnant women, disable people, or the elderly. Leaving the large number of these women without coverage, unless their incomes are well below the federal poverty level (pewtrusts.org, Teresa Wiltz). As the access to Medicaid also becomes difficult, many states are not doing much to fix the problem. Without proper healthcare, this women are prone to any type illness. Falling ill could lead them to lose their joins, and without that income their families will suffer the consequences.

The usual perception of white women on cultural forms is always the one of someone delicate, vulnerable and submissive. That is not always the case for women minorities in Television. They are usually portrait with different stereotypes like the angry Black women, which is usually shown as angry, violent, and uncontrollable. Jezebel, sapphire, manny, and matriarch are other stereotypes represented. Scandal is a series that portrays a women of color as the main character, but the to show seems to only represent her flaws. In the show Kerry Washington portrays a women capable because of her position, but she also is aggressive, straight forward, and is seeing a married man. She represents characteristics of an angry black women, and a Jezebel for the way she dresses with tight clothes. If black women are not depicted that with those stereotypes, they take the role of a slave or manny, like Octavia Spencer in The Help. How these women are represented influences on how others view them. In a study done by Essence magazine, over 1200 women were survey. 93 percent of these women agreed that media does a poor job representing them. “People are exposed to a multiplicity of media sources that saturate our collective imagination with stereotyped portrayals of black women” (my.xfinity.com, Alexis Garrett). It is rare to see a black women playing a not stereotypical role.
But, black women are also objectified and sexualize. They often portray characters that wear tight, reviling, little, or no clothing. In music videos or commercials, they expose themselves and give pleasure to men. Even when acting as slaves, they are used for the pleasure of their master. Ambra Nykol, from the New Black magazine, stated that “If you want to get ahead in this business (no pun intended), you have to take off your clothes.” Halle Berry role in Monster’s Ball won her an Oscar, but many expressed that it was because of her exposure and whore like role. Especially for minorities, that have it harder growing within this business, exposing themselves is a most to grow. Women minorities seem to succeed only by portraying stereotypical role that would make them sell their bodies.

The number of female students dropping out of high school is increasing, especially among minorities. 4 out of 10 Black students, and nearly 4 out of 10 Hispanic students dropped out of high school. The main reason behind all this numbers is the lack of support towards minority students. These students are not always helped or encourage to do or be better, mostly because of stereotypes about them. How can a student progress, if the teacher won’t support them? Because a school is full of students with free lunch, does it mean they are less likely to succeed? The ideas that people create do not apply to every single individual. Students need a new beginning, without the fear of being judge and the encouragement to grow.